


All Q needs is decent Wi-Fi (...and Bond)

by RoguishRobin



Category: James Bond (Craig movies)
Genre: Banter, Flirting, Fluff, Life as Quartermaster, M/M, Mutual Pining, Patient Bond, Pining, Pre-Relationship, Stroppy Q, Teasing, Terrible Wi-Fi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-07
Updated: 2020-11-07
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:28:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,468
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27435058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoguishRobin/pseuds/RoguishRobin
Summary: Bond is back at work and he and Q have been sent to Ireland on an undercover mission. Due to a shoddy Wi-Fi connection their mission doesn't go exactly as planned. Not that either of them mind.
Relationships: James Bond/Q
Comments: 6
Kudos: 100





	All Q needs is decent Wi-Fi (...and Bond)

Q sat hunched over his laptop at the small foldable desk in the corner of the hotel room. He only had a hard, plastic stool to sit on and the room was cramped and dim mostly due to the fact, that Bond had closed the blinds and curtains almost immediately after they came in.

Q knew why it was important, but he hated it. It was ironic considering he worked underground but at least there were no windows that might let in light. It was the age-old feeling of wanting something that was almost there but just out of grasp. And wasn’t that a feeling that Q was intimately familiar with? 

Ever since Bond had returned from his brief stint of civilian life with Madeleine Swann they had resumed their normal bantering relationship.

Although Q now held himself back a little more when Bond got overtly flirty. He had clearly misinterpreted Bond's attention the first time around and had paid for it dearly. Well that wouldn't happen this time.

Every time Bond held eye contact too long, brushed against Q, made outrageous innuendos over the comms, asked him out for lunch or tried to feed Q the lunch he brought to Q branch, Q politely but firmly declined.

Bond flirted with everyone and it didn't mean anything to him. Not the way it had meant to Q.

Bond on his part had reduced the flirting as well not because he was no longer interested in Q but because Q wasn't. He wasn't exactly standoffish but there were clear boundaries in place now and Bond respected them.

He couldn't help himself staring at Q when he wasn't looking or brushing their fingers together when handing Q his mug of tea. Or asking him for lunch because even if Q was no longer interested, Bond did still want to be friends. Besides somebody had to make sure Q was being fed and Moneypenny had gladly abdicated her role to Bond.

 _It's like getting a cat to have a bath_ she had complained, but Bond had gladly taken on the task.

It actually wasn’t too bad.

Q refused to leave the building but he was amenable to eating if the food was delicious and placed at his left elbow unless there was an emergency he had to oversee, in which case Bond waited until it was over and then fed his Quartermaster.

At this point he could probably write a book about the habits and quirks of Q.

And now here they were, in some nondescript hotel room, in the West of Ireland on an undercover mission with a shitty Wi-Fi connection.

Q's back was hurting from his hunched position and all he wanted, was to be back at Q Branch standing at his ergonomic workstation. Q could forgive a lot of things and was by no means a prima donna, but he needed his Wi-Fi, dammit.

Bond was idly cleaning his guns and watching Q get slowly more agitated. At least today was going better than yesterday. That had been a minor disaster. Work wise at least.

“No!”

Bond woke up, instantly alert. He jumped out of bed, scanning the room his gun trained on the door.

Q hadn't noticed Bond’s rude awakening nor that he was standing in his boxers by the bed waving around a gun. After several seconds Bond ascertained that they were not under attack and got back into bed.

Q was still muttering expletives under his breath but that wasn't too unusual, so Bond settled back down to snooze for another little while.

He was startled awake not five minutes later when Q jumped off his stool and started to pull cables out of his supply bags all the while muttering.

“Everything alright Q?” asked Bond through a yawn.

“Not now 007!”

Bond didn't get offended and proceeded to watch the resulting proceedings with mounting amusement. Clearly the internet wasn't working properly and clearly it was driving Q round the bend.

More and more cables and tools came out of Q's bag and it reminded Bond of Mary Poppins’ bottomless bag. He was just about to share this insight with Q when he shouted “YES!” and was immediately immersed by the screen again.

Bond decided to go for breakfast and bring some back for Q. Judging by the state of their tea station, Q had already gotten his first fix of earl grey.

Bond was on his way back to their room when all the lights flickered and then turned off. Not caring about keeping his cover Bond sprinted up the emergency staircase and burst into their room.

Q startled so badly, he knocked his glasses off his face and he grunted in frustration.

“Everything all right?” asked Bond and put the plate of food, which had survived the sprint, on the side table. He picked up Q's glasses and handed them back to their owner.

“Nothing is alright, the power is gone.” Q sat staring into space and Bond sighed.

He knew how to deal with an angry Q, but a forlorn Q was more difficult.

“It will probably be fixed right away and then you can get back to it. Why don't you have something to eat? said Bond, pointing at the plate.

Q shrugged but walked over to get it. He ate it in silence, balefully looking at his laptop between bites.

This simply wouldn't do.

A knock on the door stopped Bond before he could speak. He held his finger up to his lip and motioned for Q to stay back which he did, still demolishing his hash-browns and beans.

Bond opened the door slowly, but it was only one of the hotel employees checking whether they needed anything and to inform them that the electricity would take some time to be fixed. He also promised that the cause would be thoroughly investigated to prevent it happening in future.

“Maybe you should tidy away your contraption before they throw us out,” commented Bond mildly and Q scowled.

“I wouldn't have needed it, if their internet wasn't so fucking slow.”

Bond held his hands up and settled on his bed picking up the novel he was reading.

Q was huffing and puffing as he dismantled his construction and when he was done, he was looking so mutinous that Bond decided it would be safest for them to get out of the room for a while.

“Get dressed in something warm.”

“Huh? Why?” asked Q.

“We're going out,” replied Bond.

Q peered out the window. It was grey and overcast but at least it wasn't raining.

“Where are we going?”

“The Connemara National Park is around here and then we'll see. We're here undercover anyway and can't simply be holed up in our room the whole time.”

“Fine,” sighed Q.

Q was still pouting a little when they started to drive but after about ten minutes he was swept up by the beautiful, craggy landscape.

It reminded Bond a little of the highlands and he felt a pang when he thought about his old home.

Q screeched in delight when he spotted some free roaming sheep on the road and forced Bond to pull over because he wanted to take pictures. Bond took several pictures as well, some of the sheep and some of Q taking pictures of the sheep.

Normal Q was already pretty cute, but tourist Q was adorable in Bond's opinion. Once Q was satisfied with his pictures, they continued their journey with Q oohing and ahhing at all the lakes and small islands and sloping mountains. They stopped several times because Q wanted to take more pictures and he even posed alongside Bond when an American couple offered to take their picture together. Bond's beaming smile in that photo was completely genuine.

They reached the National Park and after a loo and tea break set off on one of the walks.

Q looked behind him to see if Bond was still there. He was but he was bent over and taking a picture of some type of plant and Q enjoyed Bond's rather nice bottom undisturbed for a moment or two, until Bond straightened up and lifted his brow in question when he spotted Q's look. He was delighted that a light blush rose in Q's cheeks before he abruptly turned away.

They hiked for two hours and it only drizzled once to Q’s delight.

The warm humid air and light drizzle caused his hair to be even curlier and more unruly than usual.

He and Bond chatted the entire way and Q was surprised when Bond told some stories from his childhood. Usually Bond kept his mouth shut over anything to do with his past life, but he told Q about his dogs and his father taking him out hunting. How they celebrated Christmas at Skyfall and about his mother's love of horses and how she taught him to ride before he could even walk.

Q in turn told him about the disastrous horse-riding lesson he had suffered through when his cousin, with whom he had grown up, was in her horsey phase.

Bond almost choked on air he was laughing so hard as Q described in detail how he had fallen off.

“Where will we go now?” asked Q, hoping that Bond would suggest another place. He hadn't had this much fun in ages and it was unlikely that he and Bond would get to do this again for a long time, if ever.

He would probably curse himself for prolonging this exquisite torture, but Q decided to go all out. He drew the line at letting himself pretend that this was a date. That this was a lazy Sunday afternoon outing. No matter how much his heart yearned.

“I was thinking we could drive to Clifden; the receptionist recommended a pub there to get some food.”

“Sounds good! I'm starving,“ responded Q.

They took the scenic route and stopped at several breathtaking beaches. Bond was certain that Q hadn't spent so many consecutive hours in the fresh air for years.

He wasn't too far off. Ever since Q had taken over the role of Quartermaster his free time had dwindled. Firstly, because there was so much to do all the time and secondly because he didn't really have anyone to spend it with. His parents had moved to Australia right after Q had graduated from uni and his cousin was in South America studying orangutans in the rainforest.

Friends were far and few between. Most of them were from his hacker days and spread around the world. Therefore, he wasn't missed when he buried himself in his work apart from his cats, but they weren't interested in going to brunch with him or spending a day hiking.

Eventually they arrived in Clifden and Bond parked their car in the main street. They wandered around, Q insisting they go into several of the souvenir shops. Bond humoured him because, well if he was honest, there was little if anything that he would or could deny Q.

Q was delighted by all the knitwear and he ended up buying two Aran knit jumpers and a cardigan for Bond as well as a flat hat.

They found the pub which had been recommended to Bond by the receptionist. Q ordered a roast dinner while Bond decided to try the traditional lamb stew. The food was good, and Q felt like he was floating.

“Dessert?”

Q groaned but grabbed the menu again. He could have sworn he had read the words chocolate fondant earlier.

“Triple chocolate fondant with ice cream and brandy sauce please,” ordered Q.

“And tea and coffee please,” added Bond to their order.

“You are going to be so sick after this,” said Bond leaning back into his seat. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt so relaxed and content.

“Don't be silly,” said Q primly, “there’s always room for chocolate.”

The waitress obviously thought they were on a date because she apologised for not lighting their candle sooner and brought two spoons for dessert.

Bond suddenly wished that he were on a date because it meant that he could kiss Q, to silence the indecent moans he let out after every bite.

“Honestly, Q people are looking,” he couldn't help saying and Q just raised an eyebrow.

“I didn't take you to be someone who cares about what other people think, 007,” he said archly.

Bond had to smile and shook his head.

“Alright let me try this cake that you're making sex noises over.”

“I'm not making sex noises,” hissed Q, outraged.

“I didn't take you for a prude,” teased Bond and Q glared.

However, he did let Bond get a couple of bites.

“I had a really nice day today 007. It was a good idea to go out.” Q said once they were back in their rental car.

“It’s been known to happen,” said Bond darkly.

It stung that even after a full day together Q refused to call him by anything other than his job title.

Q noticed the change in mood and could guess why it had happened. He refused to feel bad. There were boundaries and they needed to be kept in place.

You spent all day blurring these lines thought Q to himself, for God's sake you bought him a cardigan as a souvenir because you got a heart boner when you saw him wearing it and imagined cuddling him on the sofa. He sighed.

“C'mon Bond I'm tired, let's go back.”

The smile with which he was rewarded was brilliant. And even though it was dark Q felt as though he was looking into the sun.

The drive back was spent in comfortable silence. Both of them were happy to listen to the radio and let their thoughts wander.

“Mr. Sterling,” a harried reception worker greeted them as they entered the lobby.

“Yes?” said Bond smoothly, looping an arm around Q’s waist. It was all for show of course.

“We were able to identify the cause of our power outage this morning,” the receptionist said nervously.

“Oh?”

“There was a massive power surge at 9:09 a.m. which caused our breakers to overload and our entire electrical system collapsed”

“I see,” said Bond. Q was shuffling on his feet a bit.

“I’m sure that you won’t mind covering the bill for the repairs,” said the receptionist, thrusting an envelope into Bond’s hand and then dashing back across the lobby to the safety of his desk.

They walked to their room in silence with Bond’s arm still secure around Q’s waist.

“Blimey,” said Bond once he’d opened the envelope and read their bill.

“Oops,” said Q with a giggle once he spotted the rather high total.

**Author's Note:**

> So this is very "light" on the mission. Basically I just wanted to write about some of my favourite places since I'm currently stuck in lockdown. The Connemara region is so beautiful and I wanted to send these boys on a fun, little adventure. I've slowly been getting back into the groove of writing.  
> Hope you enjoyed the fic and thank you for reading.  
> Kudos and comments are always appreciated. Stay safe everyone <3


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